Skip to content
  • How Can We Help?
  • Crisis Resources
  • Join Our Team
Wellpoint Care Network
Donate
  • Mission
    • Our Approach
      • Trauma Informed Care
        • The Science of Healing
        • Seven Essential Ingredients of Trauma Informed Care
        • The Compassion Curve
      • Five Pillars of Stability
      • Equity and Inclusion
    • Stories & Testimonials
  • Services
    • Mental Health
      • Outpatient Mental Health Services
      • School Based Mental Health
      • Occupational Therapy
      • NM Clinical Consultation
      • Comprehensive Community Services
    • Child & Family Well-being
      • Foster Parenting
      • Treatment Foster Care
      • Child Welfare
      • Youth Services
    • Training and Consulting
      • Trauma Informed Care Training
      • Trauma Sensitive Schools Training
      • Train the Trainer Certification
      • Consulting and Coaching
  • Media & Events
    • Blog Stories
    • Latest News
    • Monthly Newsletter
    • Upcoming Events
    • Fostering Events
    • Event Photos
    • Press Room
  • Get Involved
    • Campaign for Community Connection
    • Become a Foster Parent
    • Volunteer Opportunities
  • About Us
    • History
    • Board of Directors
    • Leadership
    • Our Partnerships
      • State & Local Government
      • Accreditation and Memberships
      • Child Welfare Network Providers
      • Partnership Opportunities & Inquiries
    • Annual Report
  • Donate
  • How Can We Help?
  • Crisis Resources
  • Join Our Team
Donate
Media and Events / Latest News / Wellpoint Care Network’s Tim Grove discusses impact of trauma on kids with TMJ4 News

News

Please share our story

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share with your Email

Wellpoint Care Network’s Tim Grove discusses impact of trauma on kids with TMJ4 News

A couple in Milwaukee faces multiple charges after their two children were found roaming the streets naked and covered in feces on Thursday, July 13. 

A criminal complaint states the children have never been to school and they cannot read or write. Their house and room were filled with trash and there was feces on the walls. The door to their room had a lock to keep them inside. They haven’t been to a medical appointment in at least three years and had not been bathed in a week.

Many in the community are now wondering what kind of impact this traumatic experience will have on the children longterm and what their future will look like.

Trauma Informed Care specialist at Wellpoint Care Network, Tim Grove, tells TMJ4 News that after working three decades in child welfare, there is hope.

“What I have learned over my years in the field is change is possible, recovery is possible. For these kids and kids who experience things like these kids did, recovery, healing is possible. We have seen it time and time again. Sometimes in the face of pretty overwhelming horror,” said Grove.

The first step is finding the children proper care, like therapists and counseling. However, he cautions recovery comes from not just getting the right caregiver, but also having an entire network in the community who supports these children like teachers, bus drivers and even club leaders.

“Kids start to learn if the world is going to be unsafe and I need to keep those fear systems on in my brain and body, I just turn those fear systems on all the time. And part of what happens is when they are removed from that situation they struggle with, ‘Do I need to have them on again or can I shut them off?’” said Grove.

He says oftentimes those children are then labeled with behavior issues instead of the mental health issues they are facing.

According to the Wisconsin Office of Children’s Mental Health, one in five children in the state are living with two or more adverse childhood experiences. Grove says experts now believe a third to half of the population of children are living with trauma following the pandemic.

“We dream of a world where everybody in the community says what can I specifically do? Maybe not to address specifically these kids, they may never interact with them. But I promise you there are many, many other kids with similar stories that they do interact with,” said Grove.

Grove says besides community members getting Trauma Informed Care training, the most basic steps anyone can do is, if they see a child acting out or acting differently, look at them in the eyes and have a look of compassion and understanding on your face. He says that simple act can start to make a child feel safe.

For the full story on TMJ4 News, click here.

Latest News

May 6, 2025

TO THE POINT Newsletter May 2025 Now Available

April 8, 2025

TO THE POINT Newsletter April 2025 Now Available

March 11, 2025

TO THE POINT Newsletter March 2025 Now Available

March 7, 2025

Q&A: Wellpoint Care Network’s new CEO looks to build opportunity, strengthen community and enrich lives

View More
Share this news article
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share with your Email

Stay connected with our mission.

Subscribe and receive news, updates, and more ways to stay involved.

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
HIPAA Verified Seal
  • Mission
  • Services
  • Media & Events
  • Get Involved
  • About
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Web Privacy Policy
  • Mission
  • Our Approach
  • Stories & Testimonials
  • FAQs
  • Services
  • Mental Health
  • Child & Family Well-being
  • Training and Consulting
  • Media & Events
  • Latest News
  • Blog Stories
  • Upcoming Events
  • Press Room
  • Get Involved
  • Volunteer
  • Become a Foster Parent
  • Monthly Newsletter
  • About Us
  • Board of Directors
  • Leadership
  • Our Partnerships
  • Annual Report
HIPAA Verified Seal
Wellpoint Care Network, Inc.
8901 W. Capitol Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53222

© 2025 Wellpoint Care Network, Inc. All rights reserved.

  • Contact Us
  • Careers
  • Our Policies

© 2025 Wellpoint Care Network, Inc. All rights reserved.